Lethbridge golf tournament raises $222,175 for cardiac care campaign
The inaugural Hearts & Health Classic drew 120 golfers to Paradise Canyon Golf Resort, with proceeds going toward hospital cardiac facility upgrades.
Why it matters
The funds support expanded cardiac care facilities at Chinook Regional Hospital, benefiting southern Alberta patients.
The Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation's inaugural Hearts & Health Classic Golf Tournament raised $222,175 for its Bringing Hearts Home campaign, held Aug. 26 at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge. The event brought together 30 teams and 120 golfers.
Proceeds will support the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and ICU/CCU Expansion at Chinook Regional Hospital. Foundation CEO Crystal Elliott credited sponsors, golfers, volunteers and committee members for the tournament's success, and the Foundation thanked Ron Sakamoto, honorary co-chair of the Southern Alberta Cardiac Sciences Advisory Cabinet, for his support in organizing the event.
A highlight of the day came at the Hole #2 Hole-in-One competition, sponsored by Schwartz Reliance Insurance & Registry, where golfer Mike Kelly won a $10,000 prize — the first time this has happened in the Foundation's history of golf tournaments.
Organizers say the broader Bringing Hearts Home campaign has surpassed its original $30 million fundraising goal thanks to more than 1,200 donors. The Foundation is now exploring a cardiac endowment to guide future donations and plans to hold the second annual Hearts & Health Classic in 2027.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.